1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tracked vehicles and light industrial equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Self-propelled industrial vehicles with buckets or digging tools are well known, and typically include a wheeled platform for mobility, a mot or, and a boom. Some of the vehicles comprising the art to which the invention relates include a tool such as, but not limited to, a bucket, digger, tree spade, trenching device, or an auger as a replaceable attachment (hereinafter collectively and individually "tool(s)").
All of such vehicles comprising the an to which the invention relates are typically quite large and heavy, and thus have limited uses. For example, a large, heavy, vehicle of the aforementioned type is not particularly useful in closely confined areas where the ground on which the vehicle rests is not particularly dense. In such instances such vehicles have been known to sink into the ground and severely damage the terrain or landscaping.
A typical example of a location inaccessible to a large or heavy vehicle found in the art to which the invention relates is a residential back yard. Accordingly, the work which could ordinarily be performed by large and heavy vehicles must be performed in another way, e.g., by having persons climb trees to trim limbs; or climb utility poles to service the utility wiring attached thereto.
Therefore, some of the more common problems associated with vehicles comprising the art to which the invention relates includes, but are not limited to: lack of mobility in confined spaces, diminished utility where ground surfaces are such that they will not support the weight of the vehicle; the damage to lawns and landscaped terrain as a result of maneuvering such vehicles; transportability of such vehicles from location to location; cost of such vehicles; the materials used in the construction of such vehicles which makes them electrically conductive and possibly unsafe when in use around electrical lines and the like.
The following patents identified by number and inventor, all of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, are directed to various devices comprising the art to which the invention relates:
______________________________________ Inventor ______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,465 Gerrans 3,227,295 Hamilton et al. 3,365,214 Garnett 3,777,898 Gallay 3,884,359 Suverkrop 3,713,544 Wallace 3,891,264 Hunter, II et al. 3,985,036 Decker et al. 4,014,400 Cline et al. 4,823,852 Lingford 4,124,124 Rivet 4,195,740 Beduhn et al. 4,273,214 Grove 4,282,794 Miller et al. 4,326,571 Crawford 4,640,377 Wossner 4,969,789 Searle 4,986,377 Moriarity 5,117,595 Brendel UK Patent Application No. 2,135,273 A Moussu 2,178,724 A Wadsworth 2,224,482 A Williams UK Patent Number 1,548,665 Bunting et al. Italian Patent Number 652,535 unknown ______________________________________